Christmas Novena - Day Three, and Full Cold moon

Today is the third day of the Christmas Novena, a Catholic ritual of a prayer recited or sung during the nine days leading up to Christmas Day.

and tonight is the Full Moon! The full moon of December is sometimes called the Cold Moon (for obvious reasons), but it is also called the "Not Bad Weather Moon" by the Kalapuya of my area, and that's generally pretty accurate. 

We are now at the peak of the strong-energy yang phase of the waxing moon, and will soon begin the quiet-energy yin time of the waning moon. But today it's time to CELEBRATE how far I've come, and give thanks for the lessons learned and the blessings received.

The full moon is a time of fruitfulness, creativity, and completion, and also strong (sometimes overwhelming) emotion. This month I am in mourning, but I am also experiencing many moments of joy, and I want to acknowledge and embrace the whole spectrum of my emotions.

Agenda:

1. Read a novena

2. Journal queries
3. Celebrate Joy

4. Write about a rosy future

1. Read a novena:

I am reading this Creation Novena from the Indian Catholic Matters site:

Day 3: A Prayer for the Plants 

Creator God, we give thanks for every kind of plant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree on earth that bears fruit. We thank You for all that plants provide and offer us, and for all the ways they connect us with all life on Earth. Thank You for the sustenance—physical, emotional, and spiritual—that we draw from the plants. We give thanks for the grain, fruit, and vegetables we eat, and for the shrubs and flowers that fill our homes and parks. We give thanks for the oxygen they produce and the stability they bring to our world. And we give special thanks for the wheat and grapes that, through the work of human hands, become our offering of bread and wine, which you lovingly return to us as the body and blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

As we see the unimaginably rapid destruction of rainforests, grasslands, and aquatic habitats, we ask that You give us courage to speak for the voiceless and to change our lifestyles. Help us encourage our neighbors and policy-makers to care for Your creation.

We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

2. Journal queries:

The full moon shines her light on everything; I use the full moon energy for creatively completing things, and for seeing my next moves. I might experience intuitive and creative breakthroughs. I might be shocked by the clarity of my insights. 

At this phase, I'll see the work I've been putting in begin to pay off, but also see where I need to work harder. I might see some ugliness - the full moon illuminates all the things I've left in the shadows, some heavy truths and some embarrassing mistakes.

Today I sit down with my journal, and my New Moon list of goals, and I seek the truth:

Do these aims all still seem vital? What are my deepest reasons for persuing these goals?

What beliefs, obstacles, doubts, or attachements are holding me back? Can I release them now? 

What opportunities for growth do I see today? What are my next steps?

Make two lists:

1. Write out the things I want to celebrate: My achievements, and events of the last two weeks that deserve commemoration.

2. Write out a few things I'd like to release this month: Habits, beliefs, obstacles, and attachments. 

3. Celebrate joy:

My theme for this month continues to be joy -- that's contentment, serenity, harmony, and living with a wide-open, unbiased attitude of appreciation for life. 

Because I am mourning the death of a dear friend, I've been examining those moments when I can connect to both joy and sadness, in memories and in the present. I've been accessing my spontaneous, innovative, creative spirit, and digging deep for the calming roots of joy.

Today I remind myself of my intentions, and then celebrate my accomplishments and reaffirm this theme for the next two weeks. To celebrate joy I will:

• Morning dog walk with a friend
• Spend an hour on crafting a gift
• Attend a zoom Christmas party
• Call my mom

4: Write About a Rosy Future:

About once a year, near the end of the year, I like to use my imagination to envision my perfect future, a utopia - where the world is safe, the earth is thriving, and I am happy and healthy. I hope that the full moon energy might give me some insight on the next years of my life.

In my imagination, I can create a future that is positive and perfect, but for this exercise I will need to suspend my pessimism about the human race, and imagine a world where the best of humanity has won out over the worst. Also, I will need to accept that I am capable of anything I put my mind to; set aside all limitations and imagine myself accomplishing my biggest dreams.

TodayI will take out my journal, put on some imaginary rose-colored glasses, and fast forward my life to 5 or 10 years in the future:

• Close my eyes, and relax my body. Bring up an image of an older me, in my best possible life, in my own personal paradise. Picture where I am, what I look like, who I am with, and what I am doing. Most importantly, feel how I am feeling - excited, happy, clear, and satisfied.
• Open my eyes, and begin to write a letter from my future self, a rosy vision of my future life. Include as many senses as possible (sight, sounds, smells, touch). Write about the dreams and goals I pursued and succeeded at. I will make it as positive and perfect as I can manage without feeling cynical. (If cynicism arises, take a breath and say, "Anything is possible," then continue.